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Wednesday, 25 January 2017

Words can kill!

The words and frightening rhetoric heard since
Trump's ascent to power is deeply troubling.

The hateful
terminology and threats on the streets of America resemble the atmosphere that
was generated on the streets of Israel in the days leading to the assassination
of Israeli Prime Minister, Yizchak Rabin.

When I hear inciting
remarks from Madonna that she thought about blowing up the White House, or from
known senators that Trump is illegitimate, or signs that compare Trump to Hitler I recall exactly these scenes prior to the madman
Yigal Alon taking the law, and a gun, into their own hands.

The result of this poisonous environment resulted in the murder of our
Prime Minister. Be warned!

The organised and poisonous campaign of anarchy and hate will lead to
yet another black act of violence and bloodshed that will shame America unless
it gets dialed back soon. Let calm and sanity remove hysteria and
bias.

A final reminder. We commemorate Holocaust Day this Friday.

The Holocaust did not start at Auschwitz. It began
with words. Hateful words. Words that delegitimate. Words that kill!

Listen and be warned!

Barry Shaw is the
Senior Associate for Public Diplomacy at the Israel Institute for Strategic
Studies.